South Goa (1 Viewer)

HarrogateIan · Dec 4, 2011

A few weeks ago I posted a request for information about Canopy Tours in South Goa but unfortunately nobody was able to provide any feedback about the company however I did receive some information from Rioja and Pratincol - many thanks it proved very useful!
I have now returned from an excellent holiday in Cavelossim and I have attached a report that will hopefully prove to be of use to anybody that is tempted to try South Goa.
Cheers
Ian

trw · Dec 4, 2011

HarrogateIan said:
A few weeks ago I posted a request for information about Canopy Tours in South Goa but unfortunately nobody was able to provide any feedback about the company however I did receive some information from Rioja and Pratincol - many thanks it proved very useful!
I have now returned from an excellent holiday in Cavelossim and I have attached a report that will hopefully prove to be of use to anybody that is tempted to try South Goa.
Cheers
Ian

Great report!
I didn't see any birdwatchers in the week I was there in April this year.
Its a shame because you don't know what you are missing.
I'm no Goa expert but I got the impression most birdwatchers head to North Goa.
As I can testify too the South is very quiet and unspoilt especially in environs of Cavellosim and Mobor.
You can find your own birds and discover some great birdwatching locations sometimes right on the doorstep of your hotel.
Thanks for publishing the report as it may inspire somebody to go South.
Cheers
Mark.

MKinHK · Dec 5, 2011

A very enjoyable report - with a tremendous final shot of Wild Boar!

Cheers
Mike

wolfbirder · Dec 11, 2011

Superb report! Sounds like you really enjoyed it.

Dave Williams · Dec 15, 2011

An excellent report ! The exchange rate at 80 rupees to the pound was the best in a few years. 21 months ago we were getting 63 in Kerala.
Taxis were noticeably more expensive in the south when we were there too.
I would have loved you to have checked out the area north of Majorda beach where I had such rich pickings 2 years ago, a huge variety of waders,terns and gulls and although they were probably largely due to some storms in the region, last year still had plenty of birds on the beach.
We will certainly include a stay in the south when we next visit so your report will be earmarked for future reference.
thanks Dave

drtaher · Jan 2, 2012

Very good report

Thank you for uploading a very good report. o

gary1957 · Mar 1, 2015

excellent report

HarrogateIan said:
A few weeks ago I posted a request for information about Canopy Tours in South Goa but unfortunately nobody was able to provide any feedback about the company however I did receive some information from Rioja and Pratincol - many thanks it proved very useful!
I have now returned from an excellent holiday in Cavelossim and I have attached a report that will hopefully prove to be of use to anybody that is tempted to try South Goa.
Cheers
Ian

Dear Ian. My wife and I have just returned from a 2 week holiday to south Goa staying at the Dona Sylvia. Our first time there. We're both fairly low-key birders but do like to birdwatch as part of our holiday. We walked the area around Cavelossim most mornings before the heat of the day kicked in-lonely track, ponds to the north, road to the substation, road to the ferry which has now been replaced by a bridge. Just to say a big thanks for your excellent detailed report which we found most useful. We also had a trip to Chandarath Hill and were rewarded with a brief view of a hornbill as it was flushed by a troop of monkeys-very surprised to find one there-Indian Grey we think. We did plan a trip to Velim lake but were told by another birder that it has now been drained.
Again many thanks.

stuartvine · Mar 10, 2015

Great report. Just back from a non-birding holiday in Sri Lanka and saw (and photographed) many of the same species, including the really natty grasshopper

trw · Mar 10, 2015

gary1957 said:
Dear Ian. My wife and I have just returned from a 2 week holiday to south Goa staying at the Dona Sylvia. Our first time there. We're both fairly low-key birders but do like to birdwatch as part of our holiday. We walked the area around Cavelossim most mornings before the heat of the day kicked in-lonely track, ponds to the north, road to the substation, road to the ferry which has now been replaced by a bridge. Just to say a big thanks for your excellent detailed report which we found most useful. We also had a trip to Chandarath Hill and were rewarded with a brief view of a hornbill as it was flushed by a troop of monkeys-very surprised to find one there-Indian Grey we think. We did plan a trip to Velim lake but were told by another birder that it has now been drained.
Again many thanks.

Glad you had a great time!Not sure if you read my report before you went but you obviously visited the same places we did.
Chanderath Hill is well worth a visit of at least two hours-many species there which were not around Cavellosim.
The Lonely Track is wonderful.We used to see waterbirds heading across there on their way to the Dona Sylvia where they were watering the lawns!I saw more birds in the hotel grounds than in the average bird-reserve!
I was wondering if you managed to get to the ricefields just at the northern edge of the village?
If you enjoyed that type of holiday/birdwatching you may also like the Sol Cayo Guillermo,Cuba-similarly great birdwatching in and around the hotel best done just after breakfast before it gets too hot.

gary1957 · Mar 13, 2015

Yes, we did read your report before we went-in fact we started with yours-sorry for not saying thanks too. It was the main reason we chose that hotel not having been to Goa before. We explored all around the area. Yes we did the rice fields and along to the substation and the village beyond that. I think both you and "Harrogateian" went in November and mention pools along the lonely track. I guess that was just after the rainy season as there were no pools but we could see where they had been. Also the beach shack is closed and derelict now and it took us a while to find the track-we were relieved when we did.
Funny you should mention Cuba. We stayed at the sister hotel to yours-Sol Cayo Coco in 2010 and did much the same there but had the kids with us then. We visited the Guillermo a couple of times on the free bus and preferred it. Smaller and more open countryside around. We hired a local guide for a couple of days, one on the islands and one to the mainland. He was quite expensive by Cuban standards but showed us some quite fantastic birds. Unfortunately we ended up being stuck there for an extra 3 days due to the Icelandic volcano-sounds great but we spent the last 3 days of the proper holiday checking BBC world news as we thought we may end up in Madrid and then a coach for 2 days.

trw · Mar 14, 2015

Glad to have been of help Gary-looks like we go to the same places!
I hope you liked the Dona Sylvia.We found it to be peaceful and the staff were lovely.some interesting curry dishes too!
I learnt about it from a bird report a few years ago and one or two other birdwatchers have been inspired to go there.It makes a viable alternative to North Goa.
The Lonely Place beach bar was struggling when we were there.Now it is gone I suppose the best description to get there is:turn right at the beach exit of the hotel.Walk north about 250 yards till you find a gap on your right with a path leading into the bush area.
Another good location is the riverside via the Luis[?] villas.As you leave the Dona Sylvia turn right and cross the road.Walk through the villa complex and you reach the river bank.There are some logs to sit on and watch the birds.
Where next Gary?

bob freeman · Mar 14, 2015

Great report Ian,might just give it a go next year having visited North Goa on many occasions in the early nineties and Palolem in the South then too.
Last visit to Baga area in 2010 disappointed me as the place has really gone downhill,Backwoods and river cruise were still top drawer in that region of Goa thoughbut.

Cheers

Bob

trw · Mar 14, 2015

bob freeman said:
Great report Ian,might just give it a go next year having visited North Goa on many occasions in the early nineties and Palolem in the South then too.
Last visit to Baga area in 2010 disappointed me as the place has really gone downhill,Backwoods and river cruise were still top drawer in that region of Goa thoughbut.

Cheers

Bob

Well if you go Bob you could do worse than the Dona Sylvia.If you are rolling in it the Mobor Beach hotels just further south look lovely but out of our price range!
The beauty of Cavellosim is it is not too built up and as it is an elongated settlement there is no developments much beyond the main road.

gary1957 · Mar 14, 2015

pratincol said:
Glad to have been of help Gary-looks like we go to the same places!
I hope you liked the Dona Sylvia.We found it to be peaceful and the staff were lovely.some interesting curry dishes too!
I learnt about it from a bird report a few years ago and one or two other birdwatchers have been inspired to go there.It makes a viable alternative to North Goa.
The Lonely Place beach bar was struggling when we were there.Now it is gone I suppose the best description to get there is:turn right at the beach exit of the hotel.Walk north about 250 yards till you find a gap on your right with a path leading into the bush area.
Another good location is the riverside via the Luis[?] villas.As you leave the Dona Sylvia turn right and cross the road.Walk through the villa complex and you reach the river bank.There are some logs to sit on and watch the birds.
Where next Gary?

The description of the path is spot on. Didn't go through that complex but did find a large pool with some interesting stuff on it-an openbill sat in reeds just 5 yards away. We turned left at the hotel, along the main street then took a right opposite to where the police station is.
Next? Probably Costa Rica. We noticed in the inflight magazine that Thomson are starting direct flights this winter. They are flying to Liberia in the north-west rather than San Jose. Obviously we have always fancied it from a birding point of view but the lack of a direct flight has always put us off. I'm not a great flyer. Not sure whether to do a similar thing with a hotel as a base or tour around. Looking at various websites there are an extraordinary variety of habitats to take in.
Any advice from the forum gratefully received!

trw · Mar 14, 2015

Good choice Gary!
Take advantage of the Thomson flights whilst they are available.
I am getting to the stage whereby I am finding long flights painful.
We are starting to look for destinations nearer to home.We stayed at the Melia Atlantico Ayamonte Costa DeLa Luz last September.It was RIGHT next to a mini Cota Donana and a very busy[birdwise] estuary.Only a couple of lifers but as good as any of our long haul holidays.
We also had a good holiday in Mahdia Tunisia last year.
It was a dump but the hotel was pretty good[a Thomson hotel].The birdwatching was surprisingly interesting.
Short flights,both,so that is a plus.
Best wishes

trw · Mar 15, 2015

Lake Velim-Gary mentioned it was drained.
It was in this position when we visited but there were still some boggy and marsh areas with some larger stretches of water which attracted a fair few birds.
It is not far from the new bridge over the River Sal[turn right]

bob freeman · Mar 15, 2015

pratincol said:
Well if you go Bob you could do worse than the Dona Sylvia.If you are rolling in it the Mobor Beach hotels just further south look lovely but out of our price range!
The beauty of Cavellosim is it is not too built up and as it is an elongated settlement there is no developments much beyond the main road.

Thanks for hotel info Pratincol I may well give it a go next year ,chatty but happy hotels have always been my scene too,remember having a look at some of the top end hotels in Goa on my last visit and found them all Soul-less.I could still try a few nights stay at Backwoods as its probably only a few hours drive up there from the South of Goa anyway.

Cheers

Bob

trw · Mar 15, 2015

bob freeman said:
Thanks for hotel info Pratincol I may well give it a go next year ,chatty but happy hotels have always been my scene too,remember having a look at some of the top end hotels in Goa on my last visit and found them all Soul-less.I could still try a few nights stay at Backwoods as its probably only a few hours drive up there from the South of Goa anyway.

Cheers

Bob

The Dona Sylvia is certainly chatty.There is always someone around the pool bar to converse with.It is a friendly hotel without being loud and brash.
The hotel grounds alone are a veritable nature reserve.Not only are there thousands of well established shrubs and trees, there is a huge lawned area between the apartments and the beach.It is waterded every morning and it attracts lots of birds as they bathe in the puddles or feed on the soggy grass.
I reckon you will find enough birds around Cavellosim to keep you happy.

You can also access the areas like Agonda which lie outside the main Goa resorts.There are some lovely drives and scenery within minutes of leaving Cavellosim. Agonda is a beautiful beach where the locals protested against the building of a huge hotel.The developers actually built the shell before they were thwarted.
It is now almost camaflouged and covered in trees and shrubs and the home to monkeys and birds.I could have done a cartwheel of joy when I saw it!For once local pressure had beaten greedy developers.
Thomas Cook used to do packages to the Doa Sylvia.I am not sure if they still do.

gary1957 · Mar 15, 2015

pratincol said:
The Dona Sylvia is certainly chatty.There is always someone around the pool bar to converse with.It is a friendly hotel without being loud and brash.
The hotel grounds alone are a veritable nature reserve.Not only are there thousands of well established shrubs and trees, there is a huge lawned area between the apartments and the beach.It is waterded every morning and it attracts lots of birds as they bathe in the puddles or feed on the soggy grass.
I reckon you will find enough birds around Cavellosim to keep you happy.

You can also access the areas like Agonda which lie outside the main Goa resorts.There are some lovely drives and scenery within minutes of leaving Cavellosim. Agonda is a beautiful beach where the locals protested against the building of a huge hotel.The developers actually built the shell before they were thwarted.
It is now almost camaflouged and covered in trees and shrubs and the home to monkeys and birds.I could have done a cartwheel of joy when I saw it!For once local pressure had beaten greedy developers.
Thomas Cook used to do packages to the Doa Sylvia.I am not sure if they still do.

We went on a package to the Dona Sylvia with Thomson. Agree about the birds around the hotel-for example my cold beer on the balcony list: Asian koel, housecrow, tailorbird, whitefronted kingfisher, indian robin, ashy prinia, purple sunbird, white-rumped munia, red-vented bulbul, black kite, brahminy kite, white-bellied sea eagle, indian pond heron, intermediate egret, oriental magpie-robin.

trw · Mar 15, 2015

That is one good balcony list!
I can see a new thread here.....Birds seen from my hotel balcony!
I had a wager with a twitcher.
He was going to travel next day to Stranraer,get the ferry to Ireland and drive 100 miles to see an Indian Housecrow.
I was flying to Goa that day and bet I would see a Housecrow before he did!
Sure enough the first bird I saw in the hotel was a Housecrow but there was some dispute who saw one first!

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